I Thought You Knew

Chapter 5 - Traitor: Part II

CHAPTER 5 - Traitor: Part II

Chakotay's POV:

Kathryn. Where had she gone?

Kathryn.

A woman jumped in front of me.

CHAKOTAY!

I felt myself being pushed from the side, and I fell to the ground, temporarily incapacitated. As I got up, I saw a still figure lying before me. No, not just "a still figure." She was familiar; too familiar. The auburn hair, slim figure, admiral's uniform, the face; her face. One I knew all too well. Kathryn. My Kathryn.

I limped to her side, and turned her over. She was hurt...the exploding console had burned her arms, and face. I instantly knew that this wasn't just a mild concussion, if it were, she'd be conscious, but inevitably, she wasn't. History was repeating itself, and the brief memories of our only shuttle crash came flashing back. We were together, and something always managed to hurt us, or just her. Why couldn't it ever be me?

I picked her up, and cradled her lifeless body in my arms.

"Goddamn, Kathryn. Why is it always you?"

I had the urge to scream. To let all the pent up rage and grief out, but I felt numb. Nothing made sense, and everything around me started to become blurred by my tears.

On the Klingon Vessel veS targh: (name source: online)

Kathryn's POV:

I'm exhausted. It's been weeks, and there's still no sign of them. I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it through the next few days.

I remember reading a manuscript, a collection of ancient poems. One stanza has always been firmly engraved in my memory. "Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all," uttered by Lord Alfred Tennyson.

Now, as I sit alone in my captivity, I find a sad irony in his words. Words that used to give me consolation, now trapped me in silent torment.

All the men I had loved, Justin, Mark. Though I hate to admit it, I never had that special connection; that connection...with Chakotay. The look in his eyes, the way his voice would suddenly soften when he spoke to me, how much he mourned when he thought I had died. The sight of him, a broken man, who never allowed himself to show weakness, now wept over my corpse, as if he'd lost me. He'd never lose me. I swore I would never leave him, but I fear that I will no longer be able to keep that promise. He broke my heart, but hearts mend.

Back on the Enterprise:

They had been searching for weeks, yet there was no sign of the admiral, or the ship that abducted her.

A search? This was starting to become more like a desperate effort on their parts. Even Jean-Luc was starting to lose hope.

The admiral's audience was sent back home, but many refused to leave until the search was completed.

"With all due respect, it's been four weeks, Captain! We need to find her! She could be dead by now!" he said indignantly. Captain Chakotay's voice echoed through the briefing room.

"I'm sorry. As you said, it has been a month. How are we going to convince the Federation Council to allow us to use the Enterprise for another one?" Captain Picard replied.

"You're the captain, you tell me!"

Chakotay sighed.

"I'm sorry. I just can't get myself to accept Kathryn's gone. I'll use Voyager to launch another search effort. Jean-Luc, could you inform the Federation Council?"

"I will."

"Thank you."

Another week on the Enterprise had passed, and almost all hope for her return was extinguished, like water dousing a burning flame.

On the Bridge, Captain Picard stood up, and opened the shipwide channel.

"After a four week search effort to locate Admiral Kathryn Janeway, I regret to inform you all that we have been unsuccessful," he paused. He was about to speak words he never hoped to hear.

"We mourn the loss of a great woman, a captain, and a friend." he said, displaying the most intense emotions they had seen thus far.

"We will hold a memorial service for her in two days. It will be held in Ten Forward; you may invite anyone you wish." he concluded, as he closed the ship-wide comm link.

The bridge was solemn. The crew lowered their heads in recognition, and silence befell the Enterprise.

__________________________________________________

"Give us the information! Now!" Captain Kang demanded.

"What does the Federation know?" He continued.

Kathryn's silence was far more powerful than she expected.

"P'tach!" He muttered as he made his way out.

"I'm not finished with you," he said menacingly, as he exited her cell.

Her willpower was becoming weaker by the day, but she knew one thing; she wouldn't bend or break. The security of the entire Federation was at risk, and she would willingly give her life to save the billions of lives that were at stake.

__________________________________________________

A few days had passed, and the veS targh rendezvoused with a Romulan outpost on the border of the neutral zone.

__________________

Once they arrived, two guards escorted them to sickbay.

After what seemed like an eternity, the sickbay doors opened, and they were met by the piercing gray eyes of a Romulan officer.

"Captain Kang." said a woman wearing a Romulan uniform, rather young, he observed.

"Commander Tolaul."

"Do you have her?"

Kang gestured to an unconscious Kathryn on one of the sickbay biobeds.

The Commander eyed the Admiral with a mixed look of disdain and pity.

She made her way toward the bed and proceeded to hold Kathryn's jaw and turn her face to the side, observing a purple bruise and the miniscule amount of flesh that still remained in her cheeks.

Tolaul turned and stared the Klingon Captain square in the face.

"How long has it been since she got any sleep? Food? She looks more frail than I've ever seen her."

"I fed her 2 days ago, but she's been unconscious since then. Our vessel isn't equipped to treat her, and our doctor has no idea what illness she has." he replied.

"Well, this "illness" is a simple case of malnutrition and exhaustion. I told you to extract information, not torture her." she said in a sarcastic tone, continuing to observe the condition the Admiral was in.

"She has been extraordinarily stubborn," he countered.

"So you're telling me you know nothing?" she said in an exasperated tone.

A few more seconds of silence ensued before Tolaul broke it again.

"Alright," she said as she looked askance.

"Let's use one of our prisoners," she continued.

"If she won't talk, then we'll just have to change tactics. Bring Mevyr out of his cell. Maybe a little Vulcan stoicism can crack through Kathryn's icy exterior."